Historygram – The 7 Best Instagram Accounts For History Book Lovers

Some people think the worlds of history and Instagram shouldn’t work together – but they do. Likewise, some people can’t get their head around the fact that Instagram is also a very popular way for bookworms to share their love of the traditional written word. Far from being swept aside by social media, books are now becoming a core part of it.

You only have to search the hashtag #bookstagram (28 million uses and rising) to see how popular this online community is becoming. And there is room for everyone – including history book bloggers. Especially history book bloggers. I have yet to find an historian without an over-stacked and bulging bookcase in some corner of their home!

So my latest offering in my series of Historygram posts is all about the best bookstagrammers to follow for history books, including historical fiction.

It comes with a warning though – I will not be held liable for any history book purchases you may be inspired to make!

Charlie is currently a history student at the University of Kent, but in her spare time she is also a book reviewer for the Tudor Society magazine. Her Insta account isn’t totally devoted to books, but it’s no surprise that it features A LOT of Tudor history publications. This is one of the first history book accounts I followed on Instagram, and I don’t regret my choice!

A relatively new account, this one features ‘reviews of history books by and for history students’. This account is one of the best in terms of variety of history books featured. The breadth of books featured reflect the almost unending scope of history that can be studied, which I love. I also really like the fact Gina is unafraid to feature historical reference books. They are a critical part of any historical library but are often considered too boring to be featured.

History Book Reviews features historical non-fiction, historical fiction and mythology books. It’s another great account in terms of the variety of books featured, many of which I wouldn’t normally consider reading. This account has really pushed me out of my comfort zone in terms of what I pick off the bookshelf. The account owner is also the best in terms of using Insta stories to share reading progress and engage with their followers.

Lauren is a proper bookstagrammer and runs the book review blog Coffee, Books and Paris. Like many of the accounts featured on this list, she doesn’t solely feature history books but there is a definitely a strong historical feel to her reading choices (piecing together some clues from her content, I think she may be a former history student). A great account for reading inspiration.

Jade is a self-described bookworm and lover of history from the UK. Her reading choices aren’t 100% historical, but again there is a lot of history in there. In terms of imagery, I also think Jade gets the balance between books and other images spot on. I think this account could go far, and Jade’s current follower numbers don’t accurately reflect the quality of her content.

Another account where I think the follower numbers are criminally low. Lucy’s account is all about the written word and her photos are cracking – I especially like the ones where she photographs her current reading while out and about and at locations related to the content of the book. She also nails it in terms of captions and the amount of feedback given on the book. Expect to see historical fiction alongside many literary classics.

In her Insta bio, Rachael says she loves books. A lot. I can confirm that is most definitely true. If you want evidence, check out her blog Rachael’s Ramblings, which features her many, many book reviews – mostly of historical fiction and detective novels. This is another great little account to follow if you like historical fiction, and Rachael’s personality shines through in her content.

I think there is so much potential in terms of this little corner of the Instagram community. Historians are chronic book buyers. Flash a shiny new book in front of our faces and we want it. I predict this element of bookstagramming will only grow over the next few years.

Have your reading choices been inspired by content you have seen online? What books have you bought?